£6,000 needed to help create a ‘fantastic’ Prestwich Carnival

Organisers of the annual Prestwich Carnival are calling on the community to help them raise £6,000 ahead of the big day. The carnival and grand parade have been around for more than 80 years and take place on the final days of the Prestwich Festival.

Organisers of the annual Prestwich Carnival are calling on the community to help them raise £6,000 ahead of the big day.

The carnival and grand parade have been around for more than 80 years and take place on the final days of the Prestwich Festival.

The carnival team is now calling on local businesses to come forward to help them fund this year’s event, which is at St Mary’s Park in mid June.

Some businesses have already come forward with sponsorship pledges totalling £1,000, but organisers say they need the extra money to ensure they can put on as good a show as possible. Setting out his ambitions for the weekend, new carnival chairman Frank Shatliff said he wants to have a spectacular launch event and provide a platform from which local talent can shine.

He also plans to make the carnival work for local businesses by providing space for them to showcase their products and services.

The fundraising drive to reach the £6,000 target will include a live-music event for 350 people at the Longfield Suite on Saturday, May 5.

So far local businesses which have pledged their backing include Michael Herwald and Co Estate Agents in Prestwich, Berry and Berry Law in Whitefield and Ready Steady Store in Manchester.

Mr Shatliff added: "The carnival has been going for more than 80 years and we owe it to the people of Prestwich to make sure it continues in the format it has been delivered in the past.

"On the day it’s a fantastic atmosphere – it’s a celebration of local things. The community support provides a local event full of family fun."